U15 Hurlers through to Táin Óg Final
Cumann Pheadaír Naofa 7-8
The Saints (Stamullen, Co. Meath) 3-9
At a sun blessed Naomh Malachi pitch, just south of Dundalk a top-class team performance saw the south Down side qualify for next month’s final in Breffni Park. The Saints, from North Meath were first to register a score when a quick ball out of defence broke to their no. 12 Cillian Guidan, who confidently split the posts from 30 metres out. With both sides playing in their first ever U15 semi-final it was a nervous start for the Blues, but when a high ball was put into the forward line Ben Lock finished to the net form close range. Two further points, one from Ruairí McIntyre and Mark Campbell, followed by the first of a hattrick of scores from McIntyre set the tone for the rest of the half. The Warrenpoint side with Oisin Ruane & Mark Campbell in defence worked tirelessly, sweeping up any loose ball and feeding Matthew Duffy down the left wing. Duffy was able to feed McIntyre and McShane in the half forward line and when the sliotar next ended up in the Meath sides defence McIntyre’s shot went all the way to the net from out on the right wing. With five minutes remaining Lock was there to flick a dropping ball into the net past a helpless Eoghan O’Brien in the Stamullen goals to leave the blues ten points clear at half-time, Warrenpoint 4-5, The Saints 1-4.
With all the forwards having scored by the start of the second half and the blues comfortably leading the game, some switches were made which afforded The Saints more freedom upfront and they pulled back some fine scores thanks to Cormac O’Sullivan, Aaron Grant and Daithí Wade. But with Conaire McMahon & Mikey Keohane bossing midfield The Saints had to work really hard for every score they got. The Blues scored three further goals in the second half with McIntyre, Campbell & Darragh Austin all taking their chances well.
When the whistle blew for full time the blues had put in thoroughly fantastic team performance and in doing so qualify for their first ever U15 Táin Óg final to be played in Kingspan Breffni Park on Sat. 13th July where they will play the winners of Eoghan Rua (Derry) and Knocks Grattan’s (Fermanagh).
Warrenpoint Scorers: Ruairí McIntyre 3-2, Ben Lock 2-0, Mark Campbell 1-3, Darragh Austin 1-1, Ronan McShane 0-1, Michael Keohane 0-1
